symptoms of sickness bodily, whereupon she said, "O my lady, thou
hast no unease save what eyesight hath brought thee." She
replied, "O my mother, do thou keep sacred my secret, and if thy
hand can reach so far as to bring me my desire, prithee do so;"
and the nurse rejoined, "O my lady, like me who can keep a
secret? therefore confide to me thy longing and Allah vouchsafe
thee thy dearest hope." Said the Princess, "O my mother, my heart
is lost to the young man who worketh in the vermicelli-baker's
shop and if I fail to be united with him I shall die of grief."
The nurse replied, "By Allah, O my lady, he is the fairest of his
age and indeed I lately passed by him as his sleeves were tucked
up above his forearms and he ravished my wits: I longed to accost
him but shame overcame me in presence of those who were round
him, some buying Kunafah and others gazing on his beauty and
loveliness, his symmetric stature and his perfect grace. But I, O
my lady, will do thee a service and cause thee forgather with him
ere long." Herewith the heart of the Princess was solaced and she
promised the nurse all good. Then the old woman left her and fell
to devising how she should act in order to bring about a meeting
between her and the youth or carry him into the Palace. So she
went to the baker's shop and bringing out an Ashrafi[FN#185] said
to him, "Take, O Master, this gold piece and make me a
platter[FN#186] of vermicelli meet for the best and send it for
me by this Youth who shall bring it to my home that be near hand:
I cannot carry it myself." Quoth the baker in his mind, "By
Allah, good pay is this gold piece and a Kunafah is worth ten
silverlings; so all the rest is pure profit." And he replied, "On
my head and eyes be it, O my lady;" and taking the Ashrafi made
her a plate of vermicelli and bade his servant bear it to her
house. So he took it up and accompanied the nurse till she